Six Sigma and other efficiency seeking approaches can dramatically reduce variance and inefficiency in an organization. But if you’re not careful, innovation and growth may be swept away in the process.

In 2002, investigative journalist and TED Fellow Will Potter decided to take a break from his regular beat, writing about shootings and murders for the Chicago Tribune. He went to help a local group campaigning against animal testing: "I thought it would be a safe way to do something positive," he says. Instead, he was arrested, and so began his ongoing journey into a world in which peaceful protest is branded as terrorism.

Dwellings of 1,400 square feet or less made up just 4% of the new-home total, down from 9% in 2005.

How to deal with a lack of hierarchy, rules, or structure.